Journal of Intellectual Disability Research doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00836.x

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The Author. Journal Compilation ©

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

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Blackwell Publishing LtdOxford, UKJIRJournal of Intellectual Disability Research0964-2633© 2006 The Author. Journal compilation © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

2006

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Book Review

Book reviewBook review

Book review

Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger

’

s, Tourette

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s, Bipolar and More!

Martin L. Kutscher

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London and Philadelphia. 2005. 224 pp., US $19.95 (hard back). ISBN 1 84310 8100.

This is a book that sets out to fulfil all that is prom-ised in its subtitle ‘The one stop guide for parents, teachers, and other professionals, covering a range of neurodevelopmental conditions’. It is a concise, credibly structured and admirably tailored to suit its audience. A single ‘stress busting’ book which is not a tome is likely to appeal to any parent, teacher or professional whose time is at a premium. However, I hope they are more charitable about the ‘syndrome mix’ in the title with its specious analogy to ‘cake mix’ which I found less useful especially as the book does not specifically address the issues per-taining to these small but complex group separately. This minor moan aside there is much that is useful.

The initial chapters on general principles of diagnosis and management are masterly in their utilization of varied research while remaining firmly grounded in common sense. It serves to validate the parent’s often fraught journey through the medical maze which is therapy in itself. In doubly addressing parental anxiety and keeping the advice succinct, the authors will readily engage parents who probably have had their share of spent solutions.

The etiological paradigms are explained without jargon or excessive oversimplification. The book is particularly good at demystifying DSM-IV terminol-ogy. The use of ‘day-to-day’ examples to illustrate

how etiological concepts like ‘executive dysfunction’ work in real-life will appeal to parents and teachers who see it but do not know it for what it means. This element of psychoeducation so gracefully handled in this book is especially challenging in neurodevelop-mental disorders whose impact may be at once subtle and pervasive.

Practical advice about education will do much to improve liaison between parents and teachers.

For the professional, the clinical vignettes are a salutary lesson in the ‘lived experiences’ of parents and children. There is also much to learn from clin-ical insights into the various ‘subtexts’ involved in liaising with educational system.

The book deftly acknowledges the strengths with-out glamourizing or minimizing disabilities. Without being able to summon the courage to say to a child ‘Congratulations, you have Asperger’s Syndrome’ (p.

), emphasizing the positive aspects is a useful way to lead on to the more difficult task of delineating the disabilities the diagnosis entails.

The book is less successful in negotiating the deli-cate balance of assigning agency and responsibility to the child without approportioning blame. Glib gen-eralizations like ‘the human brain is physically a bunch of chemicals with illusions of grandeur’ (p.

) is physical reductionism at its worst. Moral choices are ignored at a child’s peril even if he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially if he has ADHD. ‘Physiological reasons’ (p.

) not-withstanding, most successful parents learn when ‘can’t’ means ‘won’t’ and vice versa.

One could ask for more information about the indicators of a guarded prognosis though prob-ably not in tone with the buoyant energy of the book.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

Book review700

©

The Author. Journal Compilation ©

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Tony Attwood’s exceptional chapter on Asperger’s Syndrome gives a perspective over the life-span with a readable overview of therapeutic options.

Advice regarding medication is pragmatic and answers parent’s often unvoiced fears and reserva-tions.It would have been perfection to have addressed the lifestyle and treatment adherence issues after starting medication.

Despite the heat and dust generated by the classi-fication of developmental disorders, the elevation of sensory integration, hyperlexia and sensory auditory processing difficulties into chapter headings comes as something of a surprise especially when mental retar-dation merits no more than a few pages. These con-cepts do not readily cross professional disciplines as recognizable ‘disorders’ whatever their heuristic value is.

Biographical information about the authors is a useful referent and the book is enriched by the author’s excellent website.

Despite the distinct North American emphasis, there is an extensive list of books and internet resources. A statutory warning about less than useful sites peddling crank cures may have to wait a separate book.

Separate reproducible fact sheets for parents and professionals for distribution is the only addition I can think of to this otherwise rewarding book. This will be one book to recommend to parents and pro-fessionals as a route to more adventurous reading.

Anupama Iyer

Diana, Princess of Wales Children’s Hospital

Birmingham, UK